DFNet

September 22, 2026 | Indian Council of Agricultural Research |

The ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) in Bengaluru has developed and validated a new postharvest hot water treatment for mangoes that controls both fruit fly infestation and anthracnose disease. Previously, separate treatments were required, including a 48°C treatment for 60 minutes against fruit flies, which could cause severe internal breakdown in Alphonso mangoes.

The new protocol treats mature green mangoes in 55°C water for 20 minutes, followed by a 30-minute dip in 5% salt water. Trials with Alphonso, Banganapalli, Arka Uday, and Arka Suprabhat mangoes showed that the treatment effectively controlled both problems without causing internal breakdown.

If approved by India’s quarantine authority, the protocol could reduce quarantine hot water treatment time substantially and improve fruit quality for export. It can already be applied to mangoes for domestic markets and countries without specific quarantine requirements.

The technology was tested commercially in June 2026 when 1.2 tonnes of Banganapalli mangoes treated with the protocol were air-freighted to Brunei. The buyer reported that the fruit arrived in satisfactory condition without fruit fly infestation or anthracnose.

Read more